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Avocado commission starts joint beef promotions

The California Avocado Commission has begun a joint promotion with the California Beef Council and become a sponsor of the National Beef Cook-Off.

In the West, the Irvine-based commission and the Sacramento-based council will tout avocados and lean beef burgers from August through early fall with tie-ins to retailer grilling promotions, according to a news release.

Recipe booklets dubbed “California Avocado Burger Bonanza” are available for retailers to order online. Recipes vary from sliders to traditional and lettuce-wrapped burgers.

The commission is also backing the promotion with a burger-themed page on its website that has additional recipes. The effort markets avocados as a healthier alternative to other toppings. The commission and the California Beef Council also plan to use social media.

“It makes sense to promote California avocados with beef burgers at this time because more than a third of avocado users nationwide report eating them on burgers,” Jan DeLyser, the commission’s vice president of marketing, said in the release. “In the West this jumps to 45% or more.”

The National Beef Cook-Off is a biannual recipe contest funded by the Beef Checkoff. One of its current four categories is Craveable Fresh Beef and Fresh California Avocado. A Tuscan burger with avocado and tomato spread, by entrant Harold Cohen, Hollywood, Fla., was one of seven regional winners announced July 15. Other finalist recipes include Cali-avocado steak salad, and lemon grass beef with avocado.

One grand prize winner from the 14 remaining finalists is scheduled to be announced Nov. 2 at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C.

The commission and the American National CattleWomen Inc. also plan to host a New York food editor luncheon in November. The commission will promote the contest finalist recipes with California avocados on its website and social media.